diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/forms/Groups.js b/awx/ui/client/src/forms/Groups.js
index 79b81459ec..49527df717 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/forms/Groups.js
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/forms/Groups.js
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ export default
                 credential: {
                     label: 'Cloud Credential',
                     type: 'lookup',
-                    ngShow: "source && source.value !== 'manual' && source.value !== 'custom'",
+                    ngShow: "source && source.value !== '' && source.value !== 'custom'",
                     sourceModel: 'credential',
                     sourceField: 'name',
                     ngClick: 'lookUpCredential()',
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ export default
                     addRequired: false,
                     editRequired: false,
                     rows: 6,
-                    'default': '---',
+                    'default': null,
                     parseTypeName: 'envParseType',
                     dataTitle: "Environment Variables",
                     dataPlacement: 'right',
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ export default
                     addRequired: false,
                     editRequird: false,
                     rows: 6,
-                    'default': '---',
+                    'default': null,
                     parseTypeName: 'envParseType',
                     dataTitle: "Source Variables",
                     dataPlacement: 'right',
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ export default
                     class: 'Form-textAreaLabel Form-formGroup--fullWidth',
                     editRequird: false,
                     rows: 6,
-                    'default': '---',
+                    'default': null,
                     parseTypeName: 'envParseType',
                     dataTitle: "Source Variables",
                     dataPlacement: 'right',
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ export default
                     class: 'Form-textAreaLabel Form-formGroup--fullWidth',
                     editRequird: false,
                     rows: 6,
-                    'default': '---',
+                    'default': null,
                     parseTypeName: 'envParseType',
                     dataTitle: "Source Variables",
                     dataPlacement: 'right',
@@ -248,14 +248,14 @@ export default
                 checkbox_group: {
                     label: 'Update Options',
                     type: 'checkbox_group',
-                    ngShow: "source && (source.value !== 'manual' && source.value !== null)",
+                    ngShow: "source && (source.value !== '' && source.value !== null)",
                     class: 'Form-checkbox--stacked',
 
                     fields: [{
                         name: 'overwrite',
                         label: 'Overwrite',
                         type: 'checkbox',
-                        ngShow: "source.value !== 'manual' && source.value !== null",
+                        ngShow: "source.value !== '' && source.value !== null",
                         addRequired: false,
                         editRequired: false,
                         awPopOver: '<p>If checked, all child groups and hosts not found on the external source will be deleted from ' +
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ export default
                         name: 'overwrite_vars',
                         label: 'Overwrite Variables',
                         type: 'checkbox',
-                        ngShow: "source.value !== 'manual' && source.value !== null",
+                        ngShow: "source.value !== '' && source.value !== null",
                         addRequired: false,
                         editRequired: false,
                         awPopOver: '<p>If checked, all variables for child groups and hosts will be removed and replaced by those ' +
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ export default
                         name: 'update_on_launch',
                         label: 'Update on Launch',
                         type: 'checkbox',
-                        ngShow: "source.value !== 'manual' && source.value !== null",
+                        ngShow: "source.value !== '' && source.value !== null",
                         addRequired: false,
                         editRequired: false,
                         awPopOver: '<p>Each time a job runs using this inventory, refresh the inventory from the selected source before ' +
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ export default
                     type: 'number',
                     integer: true,
                     min: 0,
-                    ngShow: "source && source.value !== 'manual' && update_on_launch",
+                    ngShow: "source && source.value !== '' && update_on_launch",
                     spinner: true,
                     "default": 0,
                     addRequired: false,
diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/inventories/manage/groups/groups-add.controller.js b/awx/ui/client/src/inventories/manage/groups/groups-add.controller.js
index e6b03148f8..559d219dad 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/inventories/manage/groups/groups-add.controller.js
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/inventories/manage/groups/groups-add.controller.js
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
                 // inventory_source fields
                 params = {
                     instance_filters: $scope.instance_filters,
-                    source_vars: $scope[$scope.source.value + '_variables'] === '---' || $scope[$scope.source.value + '_variables'] === '{}' ? null : $scope[$scope.source.value + '_variables'],
+                    source_vars: $scope[$scope.source.value + '_variables'] === null ? null : $scope[$scope.source.value + '_variables'],
                     source_script: $scope.inventory_script,
                     source: $scope.source.value,
                     credential: $scope.credential,